Take a Ten-Minute Walk Every Day to Live a Longer Life

The risks and complications of leading a sedentary lifestyle are well-known. There has been a recent increase in lifestyle-related diseases and deaths associated with it. But a new study reports that by just walking a few steps every day can help lead a longer life. The study published in the Journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise was conducted by researchers at the Johns Hopkins University, the National Institute on Aging and the National Cancer Institute.

The data from around 3,000 individuals 50 to 79 years old who were part of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was analyzed by the researchers.

The participants’ activity levels were tracked using accelerometers; that record the steps taken by each of them. The results were compared to the deaths recorded for the next eight years.

The study found that walking just for ten minutes a day can help live a longer life than hitting the gym for longer hours. It also found that doing household chores like sweeping the floor, washing dishes improved the longevity of life.

"When we compare people who exercise the same amount, those who sit less and move around more tend to live longer. The folks who were walking around, washing the dishes, sweeping the floor tended to live longer than the people who were sitting at a desk," said lead author Ezra Fishman.

Source-Medindia